Abnormal current perception threshold observed in patients with post-herpetic neuralgia

Author： Horiguchi I. Otake T. Obata H. Saito S.

ISSN： 1568-5691

Source： The Pain Clinic, Vol.12, Iss.1, 2000-03, pp. : 57-60

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Abstract

How current perception threshold is altered in chronic pain patients has not been clearly established. Objective and quantitative analyses of neurological abnormalities in patients should prove useful in pain clinic practice. We will discuss here three cases involving post-herpetic neuralgia patients who showed an abnormality in current perception threshold.Current perception threshold value, scores in current perception threshold range analysis and bilateral threshold ratio of the affected site were measured in 21 patients suffering from chronic pain. An abnormality in current perception threshold was observed in three post-herpetic neuralgia patients. The thresholds at two or three frequencies in these patients showed a deviation from the standard value. All three patients were older than 70 years of age and had a long history of the disease. Capsaicin ointment offered limited pain relief.In conclusion, measurement of current perception threshold appears to have clinical applications for the neurological assessment and diagnosis of post-herpetic neuralgia.